Grundig: Consumers Want to Reduce Food Waste But Lack Time and Means

New research from Grundig, Europe's leading full range manufacturer of home electronics, shows that 94% of consumers want to live a more sustainable life, but almost

two thirds lack the time or aren't sure how to do so

Research shows that 94% of consumers want to live a more sustainable life but almost two thirds lack the time or aren't sure how to do so.

Sustainability is important to 97% of consumers across Europe, according to a July 2017 survey commissioned by Grundig and conducted by research firm Morar with over 3000 respondents across six European countries[1].

In addition, almost two thirds consider food waste to be a significant environmental issue, yet almost a third waste over 4kg of food per month, equivalent to six loaves of bread. In addition, 90% of consumers feel that they are concerned about the amount of food they waste, but that a lack of time and hectic lifestyle make changing habits difficult (56% of respondents).

Consumer attitudes to sustainable living across Europe

Almost three quarters of consumers want to reduce their food waste, with over half admitting that they throw away fruits and vegetables most often.

Consumers with children have an additional motive for reducing food waste: 84% said that it is very important to teach this to the children in their home, because they want them to live a sustainable home life (81%), learn to be responsible with money (63%) and learn to protect the environment (55%).

"Grundig commissioned this research study in order to further explore consumers' attitudes to food waste and sustainability. Reducing food waste and helping consumers live more sustainable lives is at the heart of Grundig's mission, and consequently product design. Grundig's research showed that consumers have a strong desire to become more sustainable, and many consumers are trying to do this: 82% are doing some form of recycling, 75% aim to conserve energy and 74% say they are trying to reduce food waste. However, there is clearly a need and a desire for consumers to do much more to reduce overall energy consumption and environmental impact, and it is clear that consumers need convenient, simple and smart ways to reduce their environmental impact and eliminate food waste. This is where Grundig is working to make a difference," said Zeynep Ozbil, Global Head of Communications, Arcelik Group, parent company of Grundig.

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1. France, the UK, Germany, Sweden, Turkey and Italy. The survey sample was evenly split across countries, geographies and age groups, with approximately equal numbers of males and females (1,464 and 1,576 respectively), respondents from each country (between 500 and 515 respondents for each) and respondents from each age group (18 - 34: 954 respondents, 35 - 49: 923 respondents, 50+: 1,163 respondents).

In summary: the key findings

- Grundig and research firm Morar conducted a study into consumer attitudes on
sustainability and food waste, with over 3000 respondents across six European
countries: Germany, the UK, Sweden, Turkey, France and Italy.
- The research study showed that 94% of consumers want to live a more sustainable life,
but almost two thirds lack the time or aren't sure how to do so.
- The study also showed that almost two thirds consider food waste a significant
environmental issue, and 64% of respondents feel that a global food shortage is likely
to become an issue over the next 50 years if people keep consuming food at the current
rate. However, almost a third waste over 4kg of food per month, equivalent to six
loaves of bread.

In summary: further findings

- Younger people throw away the most food - 42% of the under 35s admit to throwing
away more than a kilo a week compared to only 17% of the more frugal over 50s.
- When asked what food they were most likely to waste, respondents said fruit (51%) and
vegetables (52%). Other commonly wasted foods included bread (38%) and dairy (17%).
One foodstuff people were least likely to waste was sweets (just 3%)!
- Consumers with children have an additional motive for reducing food waste: 84% said
that it is very important to teach this to the children in their home, because they
want them to live a sustainable home life (81%), learn to be responsible with money
(63%) and learn to protect the environment (55%).

Country-specific findings: Turkey

- 64% of Turks never eat food that is past its sell-by date, compared to an average
of 9% across all other European countries. Concurrently, 71% of Turkish respondents
are concerned about the amount of food they waste, compared to an average of 54%
across all other countries.
- Living a sustainable life is 'definitely important' to 96% of Turks, compared to an
average of 65% across other countries.

Country-specific findings: UK

- Only 49% of Brits plan their meals in order to use food approaching its use-by
date, compared to an average of 63% across other countries surveyed.
- 20% of Brits throw away leftovers after a meal, compared to an average of 8% across
other countries.

Country-specific findings: Italy

- More Italians use clean energy (such as solar panels) in their home than
respondents from any other country. 27% of Italians said that they use clean energy in
their home compared to an average of 14% across all other countries.
- Italians make full use of their cheese: only 10% throw away dairy the most regularly,
compared to 18% across other countries.

Country-specific findings: Sweden

- Swedes are the least concerned about food waste: only 73% want to reduce their
food waste compared to 82% on average across other countries, and 24% said that they
aren't concerned about the amount of food they waste compared to 6% for other
countries. Swedes were shown to be in the middle of the range for estimated amount of
food wasted per week, with 27% wasting more than 1kg of food per week, compared to an
average of 31%.
- However, Swedes are the most likely to want to reduce food waste due to concern for
the environment, rather than other reasons such as guilt about wasting food while
others do not have enough to eat, or to save money. 47% of Swedes that want to reduce
food waste want to do so to reduce environmental harm, while this was only the primary
reason for reducing food waste for 26% of respondents on average across other
countries.

Country-specific findings: France

- The French have the healthiest diets when it comes to the types of food they
waste: only 41% regularly waste vegetables compared to an average of 54% for other
countries, and 10% are most likely to throw out packaged and ready meals compared to
an average of 6% across other countries.
- The French are the least likely to try to conserve energy as part of efforts to be
more sustainable. Only 62% of French respondents said that they try to conserve
resources such as electricity, water and gas, compared to an average of 77% across
other countries.

Country-specific findings: Germany

- Germans waste the least food out of all countries surveyed. 73% of Germans waste
less than 1kg of food per week, compared to an average of 57% across other countries.
- Germans try to conserve resources such as electricity, water and gas more than
respondents from any other country. 83% of German respondents are working to conserve
electricity, water and gas in their homes, compared to an average of 73% across other
countries.